8/12/2007

More than 500 people have been evacuated from the slopes of Mount Karangetang which has been spewing lava and hot clouds on the northern Indonesian island of Siau. Lava and hot clouds emerged from the peak of the mountain on Friday. Hotclouds - clouds of high temperatures that slide down the slope at high speed burning everything in their path - killed three when it last erupted in 1997. Five years earlier, hotclouds left seven people dead.

Volcanoes

ALASKA - It's been a relatively quiet year for Alaska volcanoes. There have been no major eruptions, yet. But those who watch the steaming giants along Alaska's ring of fire have noticed some interesting developments. It's been more than a year since the eruptions on Alaska's most active volcano ended. But on a flight over Mount Augustine this week, the mountain continues to simmer, spewing a steady steam. Geologists say, if anything, the volcano is cooling down from its eruption last year. Currently, the observatory is more concerned about Cleveland Volcano, way out on the Aleutian Chain. Low-level eruptive activity continues there. No villages are in the immediate vicinity and the real concern is for aviation on cross-pacific flights. "Our satellite analysts began seeing evidence of increased ground temperature right at the summit of Cleveland Volcano. It's a very steep-sided cone with a steep, walled crater at the top and that prompted us to elevate our alert level because this meant that new lava might be reaching the surface, which increased the possibility of a big explosion." Photo: Geologists say Mount Augustine erupted in 1976, 1986 and 2006. (Scott Jensen/KTUU-TV)

ICELAND - Researchers at the University of Iceland have discovered two rift zones on the Reykjanes ridge. Upon this discovery, they have uncovered a NEW TYPE OF VOLCANO UNLIKE ANY IN THE WORLD. This may be the most significant geological discovery in the last 40 years. The University of Iceland and the University of Hawaii conducted a research expedition along the ridge, which is in the sea southwest of Iceland, in mid-June in a search for more answers about the ocean floor. With this discovery, it will be possible to trace the geological history 24 million years into the past. In addition, this finding will help geologists to understand how the hotspot under Iceland and the rift zone interact. The rift zones have been moving